1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a lighter, and more particularly to a lighter with a replaceable fuel cartridge, wherein the lighter is adapted for replacing an empty fuel cartridge with a full fuel cartridge so as to maximize and extend the life span of the lighter while being cost effective.
2. Description of Related Arts
A lighter is common tool that replaces matches for igniting cigarettes and cigars. Generally, there are two types of lighters, namely the regular lighter that produces visible flame and the torch lighter that produces torch. No matter which type of lighter is used, the lighter must comprise a liquefied fuel storage for supplying fuel in order to provide the visible flame or the torch.
A conventional liquefied fuel storage has a releasable valve communicating with a nozzle and a refill valve adapted for filling a fuel therethrough in such a manner that when the lighter is used up its fuel, a user is able to refill the fuel by means of a filling bottle.
It is known that the fuel is a gas form in a normal condition and in a liquid form when it is stored in the liquefied fuel storage of the lighter under a high pressure. In order to refill the fuel, the refill valve must be fit into a tip of the filling bottle such that the filling bottle provides a high pressure to transfer the fuel to the liquefied fuel storage through the refill valve. However, during filling operation, the fuel may leak at the tip of the filling bottle. It is extremely dangerous because the fuel is a flammable mixture such as butane, especially when refuel the lighter in the kitchen near the sink or pilot light. Thus, it is difficult to prevent the leak of the fuel during filling operation such that the user may inhale the leaking fuel, which is harmful to the user's health.
Moreover, the user is unable to determine whether the liquefied fuel storage is fully filled with fuel such that the user may keep refilling the fuel to the liquefied fuel storage even though it is full. As a result, the excess fuel will be spilled out through the tip of the filling bottle, which is a waste of fuel. Besides, it is hassle for the user to carry the filling bottle everywhere.